After the meeting, Smokescreen and Tier decided to take their discussion outside of the base, so they transformed and drove out of the camp. They drove til they were under a bridge, the same bridge Smokescreen and Bulkhead fought Breakdown/Cylas. Night had fallen upon the desert, cooling the ground and the air around them. The darkened sky glimmered with the twinkling stars above. Smokescreen and Tier transformed into bot mode. Smokescreen looked up and started to wonder how many Autobots were up there among the stars, searching for more Autobots. How many were searching for help, waiting for help. He wondered how many, if any, were still alive.

Tier braced herself for a possible argument, she wasn't one for arguments. She always agreed to what others said so to keep things proper and less complicated. But this is something that she's been wanting since she was a sparkling and she planned on fighting until she won. Taking a deep breath, she started the possible conflict.

"Smokescreen,"Tier said, bringing Smokescreen out of his fantasies." I really want the protoform."

Smokescreen grinned at her with caring optics. She blushed then felt lost for words.

"Well I mean...if you want too...I mean...we do not have..."She stuttered, ignoring her red faceplate.

"I know." He said, sitting on the ground. Then he leaned back and put his servos behind his helmet. He gestured for Tier to join him. She walked up to him, laid down her head on his chest and looked up. The stars always looked so beautiful, so mysterious how they just sit and glow like little optics winking at the Earth.

"How beautiful." She commented.

"Not as beautiful as you." Smokescreen looked over at her.

"Thank you." She said shyly. She leaned up and kissed him.

"I want the protoform too."He said, breaking the kiss. Tier felt surprise and excitement in her spark like a child going to an surprise trip to an amusement park." But if one of the others called dibs on him... or her first, then we shouldn't fight over it."

"But-"Tier started, feeling her disappointment disappear.

"We're still very young love."He interrupted, looking back up."Maybe just a little too young and immature...well I am, to be raising a sparkling."

"You maybe right."She said, frowning." It is in the best interest of the sparkling that he or she be raised by more...mature and prepared caretakers. Like Bianna and Bumblebee, or Ratchet and Tailen."

Smokescreen chuckled."I doubt any one of us candidates are prepared for this, even WheelJack and Senti can't feel ready."

"Or Parate and Sanna."

Smokescreen laughed and Tier giggled. They didn't like harassing their team mates, but they couldn't help it. Tier stopped, thinking about what he said. There's always a doubt and someone always backs out.

"Can we be the caretakers if the first one's back out?" She asked with a sense of hope. Smokescreen looked at her and caressed her faceplate.

"Of course we can." Tier smiled and snuggled up to him.

"I am so happy that you agree."

" I never gave much thought to being a dad."

"Then why are you agreeing?"Tier asked, baffled.

"Doesn't each sparkling deserve a mom and dad?"He stated.

"Yes I suppose...but...if you do not mind my saying...you only had a mom."

"Who acted like a mom and a dad to me. In some cases, a mom is all that someone needs."Smokescreen paused, he wanted to ask her a question that has been plaguing his processor for months. But he didn't know who to ask. Maybe Tier will have an answer." What's it like to have a dad anyway?"

"What do you think it feels like?."Tier asked, uncertain of how to reply.

"Hmmm...I guess with having a dad, you'd feel whole."Smokescreen started." Like there's not a single part missing. Life isn't parted down the middle but is all in one. Having a dad, it's like having a role model that a sparkling loves, respects and honors with all their spark. In return, the dad gives advice to the sparkling, he teaches his sparkling everything he knows. It feels like...I can't even explain it. It's too complex for me to understand."

Tier paused, letting what Smokescreen say sink in. Is that what he believes a creator is? Is the meaning of being a 'father' very complex? "I cannot say that the meaning of a father is complex, each father is different. Some are nicer than others, some deserve the best father award and some do not deserve to be called father."

Like mine, Smokescreen thought to himself.

"I hope that we do get the protoform."Tier said, changing the subject."I would really like to be a carrier."

"I just hope I can be a good creator."Smokescreen said with a sense of hope.

"Why would you not?"

"I spent half of my life alone."Smokescreen replied, sitting up. He never told anyone this before, the feeling felt very strange." I never had any friends while growing up, I didn't have a creator to look up to as a role model, I really didn't have anything."

"Why were you alone?"

Smokescreen shrugged."Everyone saw me as a weirdo, a bot that didn't belong there.I guess after awhile, I liked it. I wanted to be alone, I didn't want to be friends with those party, booze dowsing, spiked Energon addicts. "He pulled his knee pads closer to his chest plates. The memory of those bullies sent chills down his back. He remembered the pressure they put him through, the names they called him, the way the jeered him and taunted him." And after they heard I was the sole survivor of the battle that killed a clan plus my family, they saw me as a monster. They didn't even come near me, they didn't even talk to me."

"Why? Did they believe you killed everyone?"Tier asked, concerned.

"I don't know, but it's they saw me as two different bots; a freak and a monster. But they never got to know me as Smokescreen, I was always the loser of the academy."

"I am very sorry."Tier said, hugging Smokescreen.

"Don't be, things are better now...well to some point."He winked." I mean look at where I am; I'm on Team Prime, I have a femme friend and I'm an Elite Guardsman. I'm doing things they only dreamed of."

"Yes, I suppose you are right."

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, Smokescreen thought to himself. Maybe...I can be a better dad than mine was. Yeah I can. But every sparkling needs a mom and I can't let this sparkling turn out like me, caretakers who aren't married...but then...

Smokescreen reached behind him and pulled out a box.

"Teir?" He asked and she looked at him, then gasped at the box."Will you marry me?"